Only 1,537 Miles

You may have noticed that I’ve been quiet for almost a week.

That was due to a quick trip up to NJ to spend a few days with my parents.

On the way up, I overnighted at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary and enjoyed dinner at The Ott House with two seminarians that I have gotten to know over the years. I attended Mass on Friday morning with all the men of the seminary and that is always a special experience. After that, I visited the Grotto and came across this  plaque that contained a very profound saying:

I had negotiated with my mother that I had one friend to visit while in NJ and on Friday evening, was the guest of Higher Education CIO and International Twitter celebrity, Steve Landry (@landryst) and his wife. We had a wonderful dinner and then Steve and I retired to the back porch for cigars and adult beverages.

I spent Saturday and Sunday with mom and dad, helping with some chores around the house that they can’t do by themselves and eating more, really great food. We went to Mass on Sunday and the priest who married Alicia and me over 32 years ago, was the Celebrant.

I left for home early Monday and detoured to Malvern, PA to meet an old friend and his daughter for breakfast. Ron and I developed a special relationship over the years and while he now lives in a senior, independent living facility near his daughter, I will always visit him as long as both of us breathe,

Back home, back in the saddle and making up for a few days away from work.

Relaxing trip?  No, but worth every mile.

Note: I intentionally did not include names and pictures of those that I didn’t have permission to use.